The No. 1 Clemson Tigers (9-0) look to lengthen their flawless record as they travel to meet the Syracuse Orange (3-6). A player to keep an eye on during this game is the ACC’s leading passer, Deshaun Watson (2,233 yards, 21 TDs). It kicks off Saturday, Nov 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be shown on ABC and ESP2.
In last week’s game, Syracuse was blown out by Louisville 41-17. Steve Ishmael had a solid outing in the loss, catching four passes for 61 yards and one TD. Clemson is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance, when it defeated Florida State 23-13. Jordan Leggett had a huge game for the Tigers, registering six catches for 101 yards. Deshaun Watson also had a great game with 297 yards and a TD through the air.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the Syracuse-Clemson game this week is 58 points, and the Tigers are a big 26-point favorite.
The Orange enter the game with records of 3-6 Straight Up (SU) and 5-4 Against The Spread (ATS) this season. In their five most recent matchups, the Orange went 0-5 SU and 2-3 ATS. If the Tigers want to win this game, they will have to keep Syracuse from taking the ball away. The Orange have the ninth-most fumbles recovered per game in the nation with one. Syracuse’s special teams are one of its strengths. They earn 112.4 return yards per game, putting them 22nd in Division I.
In the other locker room, the Tigers have a record of 5-4 ATS and 9-0 SU. If earlier games are any indication, the Tigers will run the ball aggressively. They average 216.3 rushing yards per game, good enough for 22nd in Division I. Switching gears to the Clemson defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Orange. Clemson’s seventh-ranked pass defense has given its competition nightmares. Opponents have only thrown for 168.4 yards per game against this menacing group. Syracuse’s quarterback needs to be careful against the Tigers. Their defense ranks 25th in the country in interceptions with 1.2 per game. The Tigers have a habit of pouring it on before they go into halftime. They average 12.3 points during the second quarter, ranking 16th in Division I. Expect an up-tempo, fast-paced offense from Clemson. They rank 24th in the country with an average of 77.1 plays per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Clemson, ATS Winner – Clemson, O/U – Under
Notes
Syracuse is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Syracuse’s last 9 games.
Syracuse is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Syracuse’s last 5 games at home.
Clemson is 8-0 SU when leading at the start of the 4th quarter this season. Syracuse is 3-2 SU when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter.
Remarkably, Syracuse is winless (0-4) SU in games where it comes out ahead in the turnover battle, yet 3-1 SU when losing the turnover battle.
According to national passing ranks, Clemson has an advantage on both offense and defense. Its passing attack (ranked 33rd in the nation) will face the 113th-ranked pass defense of Syracuse, while its seventh-ranked pass defense will look to limit the 111th-ranked passing game of the Orange.
